Paladin
by Lost Minds
Summary: In the point of view of Piers, his story of being saved after China and what happens after.
1. Chapter 1

His fingers traced my chest the coarse feeling of worn skin against mine. The sunlight was hitting his cheek through the blinds of the window and it made his eyes twinkle a little.

It was impeccable.

"Good morning, solider." He kissed my cheek unhurriedly, his breath warm, and savoring every second.

I pulled my hand over to the back of his head and caressed it closer, his soft messy hair working its way between my fingers and soft on my palms. "Good morning, Captain." My face smiled a little, my eyes felt relaxed and nearly fell back closed. It made him laugh and he stroked my cheek a little giving it another small kiss.

He raised his face from the kiss and gave me the same warm smile.

His voice was soft and easy, it was enchanting and slow. "You know, Piers, I love-"

The house began to shake and before I knew it a large wave of ocean water had crashed through the window and ripped him off of me.

I was now on a shore and everything was gone, the bed, Chris, and my blissful happiness.

It had only been a dream...or heaven.

I lifted myself up with my arms, the sand scratched at my skin. I examined my body, my arm was still mutated. It made me feel sick, or maybe it was the salt water. I started to throw up.

"I was waiting for you to wake; I couldn't tell if you were dead or unconscious." A familiar female voice said behind me.

I turned myself as I wiped the salty vomit with my arm off my mouth.

A graceful figure had stood before me, black silk hair, crimson clothing, and pale slick skin.

Ada Wong was before me.

"Ada!" I yelled.

She shook her head and clapped her hands slowly at me. "You can talk!" She smiled, her eyes kept lowered.

I was starting to remember everything now, China, her killing our men, Chris, the mission, losing my arm and so on. It all came in one big heap. I threw up again.

"Well, that's a good sign." She smirked. "Get the sea water out of you."

"Why are you here?" I caught my breath and wiped my mouth again, crotched over looking at her.

"I saved you, silly boy."

"You what?"

Why would she save me? She killed many of our men...yet spared me?

"I saw you floating and dragged you out, then gave you CPR until you started to breathe again, you were half dead when I saw you."

"Why? You killed Marco and Finn and so many others..." My head drifted to the faces of soldiers who were screaming for help as they became cocoons that would break Chris's heart.

"That was Carla, me and you never met, dear."

"Carla?"

"I was cloned by Simmons."

"So you have an evil clone?" It didn't sound so true, don't we all joke and say we have an evil clone?

"I can promise you I do, if I did that to your men why would I care to rescue you?" She shook her head.

"Good point." I still was unsure, but I kind of believed her, there was something quite different about her even though the other woman mimicked her behavior pretty well.

"If we never met, why did you save me?" I began again.

"Well, when I passed you, I saw the side of you without...the arm...and wondered if you were alive for you looked familiar, I grabbed you and recognized your face, you are Piers Nivans...a BSAA lieutenant, right?"

"That's right, but if we never met how you would know it's me?"

She gave a laugh. "I do my research."

I felt weak. I moved away from the pile of vomit and sat down calming my breath. I started to examine the infected arm again, I wasn't so sure that I was glad to be alive. I wanted to see Chris and go back to the BSAA, yet, like this I would only become little pieces inside test tubes.

I would only be seen as a monster.

"You know, I can help you." She said as I examined my arm.

"Huh?" I looked up at her.

"I can somewhat cure you."

"Somewhat?"

"The vaccine doesn't work all the way, but enough to get rid of that arm."

I scratched my head. I wasn't sure what that meant but it seemed like I had no choice at this point.

"Okay." I finally answered.

She walked over. It was funny how even on a damp sand shore she could walk so smooth with a sway of her hips and a delicate smile. She held out her hand and helped me up.

"Just turn around." She twirled her finger gesturing I do.

I thoughtlessly obeyed and before I knew it I felt an impact of force smacking me in the head.

We were sitting on the porch now, me and Chris. He was sipping dark coffee out of a mug as my head rested on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, alright, Piers, you'll be fine." He looked upset, I wasn't sure why.

I nuzzled my head more into his large shoulder.

"You promise, Captain?" I whimpered to him.

"I do, with all of my old heart." He gave me an uneasy smirk.

I closed my eyes smiling; it was so nice being with him.

I then opened then laying on a metal bed.

Another heavenly dream had been broken into somewhere I didn't want to be.

My head ached as I gave a look around the room. It was dim mostly, everything looked like it was made of some kind of metal, and it was very cold.

"Rise and shine, pretty boy" Ada walked in smiling with a needle in her hand.

"What the fuck...?" That was all that could escape my lips.

"I couldn't have anyone know, especially a former member of the BSAA, where this lab is."

I laid my head back down, she was right.

"Is that the cure?" I hoped.

"Yes." She nodded as she adjusted rubber gloves she had on. "I need you to sit very still."

I nodded and straightened my body alignment.

She grabbed my regular arm and started to draw blood from me.

"What are you doing?" I began to panic, was she lying to me this whole time?

"I need your blood, just think of it as an exchange. You are the only person I have met with the double helix to keep control."

"What would you do with my blood?"

"Do you know with those chromosomes of yours, we could probably make a mental cure?"

I guess she was right in some ways.

Another needle poked at my infected skin and I could feel the cold liquid entering my body, it made me shiver a little.

"Now that should be healed within a day, then I'll take you...home."

I smiled. "Only one day?"

"Well, I only said somewhat cured."

"What do you mean?" I sat up, it mustn't have been that long since we were at the beach, I was still covered in sand and had the same torn apart uniform on.

"Well, you will be physically cured, when your skin heals back to human you may bleed a lot and have open wounds that will cause scarring. Yet, you won't be so mentally cured, but that shouldn't be a problem with the well control you have."

I was chewing at on my cheek from the inside of my mouth. I hope I really do have that well of control.

"Alright let's get you a shower pretty boy, you smell like fish."


	2. Chapter 2

The water came down like bullets, hot and forceful. It didn't help that the room had been so cold and the mixture of the temperatures had set my skin on fire.

My arm had shrunk down a little and the skin was faded towards the shade of my skin tone, yet the large veins still pulsed out.

I rinsed the sand off myself taking my time to rinse every little grain. My head was spinning so I tried to keep my mind blank, for I didn't really want to feel so shitty. Yet, memories kept coming back.

Every damn time I close my eyes Chris is pounding on that glass.

Every time I look at my damn arm I could only see it being ripped off.

Every time I think of going home, my mind drifts off to the "what ifs".

What if the cure doesn't last?

What if there is no Carla and Ada has been using me this whole time?

What if something bad happened to Chris?

What if there is no home to go to?

What if Chris doesn't love me the way I love him? Of course that last one had been on my mind since a week after I met him.

A knock at the door had brought me back to reality.

"Are you alright in there, pretty boy?" Ada called.

Even if she had been the same person who killed my men and Carla didn't exist, it seems like I wouldn't have a choice to turn to at this point. She saved my life and spared it. She cured me; at least I think she has.

"I'll be out in a second, the cure is working fast!" I shouted back as I rinsed the remainder of honey and yogurt body wash off. The irritation in my skin was now gone and I felt nice and fresh, but my mouth felt pasty and gross. I thought about drinking the shower water at that point, but I figured I could just get a glass when I get out. I must have been dehydrated.

I dried myself off with a towel before throwing on the folded clothes she left on the counter for me. I wonder how she knew my size.

I pulled up the blue jeans, they were a little tighter than I was used to, but I had no other clothes to turn to. I then grabbed the black tee shirt and pulled it over my head; it was also a little tight and had dipped in the neck, showing some of my chest. I didn't mind it.

A bottle of water was left next to them. I pulled off the cap and chugged it like I had never drank water before, half the bottle gone when I gasped for air.

I walked out and the woman's gaze had fixed to me.

She smiled.

"Whose clothes are these?"

"I took them from a friend; they look quite nice on you." Her voice teased a little.

I shook my head and had blush a tiny bit as my lips curled into a smile. She turned herself and walked slowly forward as I followed like a puppy, unsure of where to go or what to really do.

We walked into what appeared to be another lab room, more of a chemist lab. There where cylinders of all shapes and sizes filled with many different colored liquids. It was actually quite pretty. I heard a little squeak to the sound of rodents. I looked over; they were particularly rats, lab rats.

"They have been tested viruses on rats for curing." She answered the question in my head before I could speak.

I walked over to the cages, and looked in. In the first cage was an albino like rat, pink eyes, nose, and ears with all white fur. It squeaked at me. I couldn't help but smile a little. I looked about it and there was a grey rat with ugly white eyes. It was hissing at the brown rat beside its cage, gnawing on the metal bars that separated them.

"Was that one tested already?" My eyes didn't leave the cage, hoping the evil rat didn't get to the little brown one.

"Which one...?" She walked over, files in her hands.

I pointed up at the grey thing, its large teeth chipping the metal away.

"Why, yes, thank you for reminding me that would have been the third rat he ate this week." She reached in and grabbed the brown rat it didn't do much but squeal a little.

"Do me a favor dear and hand me that needle with purple filling, would you?"

Did she ever not talk like a monotone seductress?

I walked over to the counter and looked at what was in the purple cylinder first. A piece of off white tape had in blue pen "T-V". I picked up the needle and carried if carefully, afraid of what might be inside of it.

"Here" I handed it to her.

"T-Veronica" She once again answered me without me speaking.

"Like the report on Burnside?" I tilted my head, I was glad I did my research.

"Yes and no, this is a new strand." She poked the rat from its bum. It squeaked a little, she then put it back in a cage, away from the grey rat.

"Would you like to see what _your virus_ does to rats?"

Minus well rename the C-Virus, to the _Piers Virus_.

She walked over, her heels clicking on the metal floor; she dropped a few bits of the T-Veronica into a container, along with "G-V" most likely the G-Virus and some blood. My blood I suppose.

She mixed them slowly and then filled a new shot.

"Get the white rat." She commanded.

Damn it, I liked the white rat...

I grabbed him from the cage. It's little heartbeat pounding against my fingers. I felt bad for it; it watched creatures of its own become monsters. I understood how he felt.

I held out his bum for her and she stuck it with the needle, it squeaked and then tried to run but I had a good grip on him.

"Put him down, he won't bite."

I put the little fella on the ground and watch as it squealed. It quickly started to gnaw on its tail until it came off, which in return was replaced with another tail that shot out. The tail was very similar to the arm I gained. It then just continued to be the little rodent it was before injected. I was surprised.

"All that happened was the tail change?" I looked to Ada, whom nodded back.

"Because of your blood, he still has full control of his mind."

I shook my head. I suppose my blood could really cure people, it made me feel like I had an importance to the world, like I was going to save many lives against bioterrorism.

I guess it's a good thing I didn't die after all.

"It's getting late and I'm bringing you to the hospital tomorrow." She looked over at me.

"The hospital...?" I tilted my head at her.

"Yes, you need to pretend you woke up healed and unconscious, as if the virus just disappeared."

I nodded. She couldn't let herself be discovered I suppose.

"So where do I sleep?"

"Next to the bathroom you were in there is a small closet, I put some blankets on the floor and a pillow. That should do it."

A closet is the best you can do Ada? Oh well I shouldn't complain.

I walked down the hall and entered, crashing myself on to the floor. I was in fact exhausted, yet excited to go home...

...To see Chris again and to be back in the BSAA.


	3. Chapter 3

"It'll all be over soon." Chris was sobbing and whispered to himself, a black pistol in his hands. He was fiddling with it.

"Captain?" I walked over, but...he didn't react...he didn't even look at me.

He then grabbed some fabric; it was a green scarf, close to the one I used to wear, but a bit more yellow green. My BSAA badge was sewn on the side of it. He pulled it close to his face and sobbed into it.

"I'm sorry Piers, I'm sorry...I failed you. It's my entire fault." He cried out.

I never have seen the man cry before. I ran over to him and tried hug him but fell over. It was like I wasn't even there.

"CAPTAIN..!" I frantically started to scream as he pulled the scarf around his neck, calming his tears. He huffed out his breath as I screamed more. I pounded on the floor, tears running down my face like a chaotic river.

He raised the gun to his temple and breathed out slowly.

"CHRIS, NO!"

A bang followed.

My eyes shot open to the dark room. I sat up and wiped my face. It was moist and sweaty. I had been crying in my sleep. I got up and stumbled around, I couldn't see a thing.

My hands felt a wall and I pushed my body on to it, letting it guide me around the small room until my hands reached a switch. I flicked it on and calmed my breathing.

The light was dim and easy. I sat back down, now aware of my surroundings, back to the world I was in before. I didn't like it but it was definitely better than the dream I had.

My eyes met my arm; it must have been several hours because it was just like my old arm. It was infact the right arm I had lost a while ago.

Tears started to form in my eyes as I brought it closer to my face for a better examination.

I then realized something; the arm was covered in some faint and strong scars. I wondered why, but that barely mattered anymore. I had a real human arm again, and I was happy.

Tears finally climbed down my face as I just starred at the hand and smiled, wiggling my fingers and twisting my wrist so I could flip my hand palm face to the back.

I laid myself down again; I could only wonder what time it was for I just needed it to be morning. I needed to know my dreams aren't real.

I needed Chris.

I shoved my face more into the little cotton pillow.

If the speed of light is the fastest thing in the world, why must the sun rise and bring light so slowly?

About an hour, at least I think had passed now and I couldn't fall back asleep.

My thoughts where unorganized and I couldn't keep focus on anything, my brain was in fact chaotic. Being a solider, at least the way I am, I am used to organization and complete strong focus. I'm an impatient person. Even Chris would agree with that, for whenever he stopped to just look around somewhere I would just about mouth off to him.

God I miss him.

I got up and started to pace to help cycle my needed organization.

My head was spinning as it was before and I only wished Ada would walk in and tell me it's morning.

I sat back down. I examined my arm again. How ugly.

I got back up. I started to look through the shelves of the closet. Finally I found a small mirror.

I held it up to my face, curious if the explosion had affected it or something.

What I found was horror.

I guess my face had been partially infected itself; it had the same form of scarring from my neck, lips, to my cheek bones, and finally meeting at my eyebrow. I threw the mirror down. I collapsed onto my knees and started to rub that side of my face. The indents of the scars and rough feeling it gave to my usually baby smooth skin made me feel uncomfortable.

Now, I'm not vain or anything.

I just kept thinking of people staring at me or Chris finding me ugly or the reminder of China making him not want to look at me.

A tap was heard from the door.

"Its 3 am!" Wong's voice hissed.

Had I been that loud?

I didn't speak, figuring she'd just walk away but instead she opened the door and let herself inside.

"What have you been doing?"

I kept still, not really in the mood to explain or speak.

She looked around, of course making careful observations.

Her eyes went to the mirror then back at me.

"Do you really think some lines on your face make you less pretty?" Her head cocked to the side.

I shrugged.

"Well they don't, go to bed, doll." She walked out and turned out the light as she did.

I felt like a little kid getting lectured for being up late by his mother, I sat there meekly.

About another hour for I had been counting enough sheep had passed before sleep took over me.


End file.
